Born in her Burial Gown
by EvErLaSt
Summary: What do you do when all that is left for you to do is run? Title taken from Cradle of Filth... A ssoc pairing, vampyres, ancient magic etc. No twinkling, omnicient, Dumbledore or Harry the power of the magical world...


_**First things first....  
  
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_**Disclaimer – Anything you recognize belongs to either J.K Rowling or to another fantastic author whose inspirational writing has unconsciously leaked and influenced my story (if you have a serious issue with this please let me know and I will correct the problem). Everything else is mine but as I'm a selfless person I'm quite willing to share, as long as you let me know first...  
  
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_**Secondly...  
  
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_**The title of this story belongs to an exceptionally brilliant band Cradle of Filth...  
  
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_**Finally...  
  
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_**I KNOW I'M AN IRRISPONSIBLE WRITER AND I APOLOGISE... I lost the thread completely with my first story and was forced to abandon it entirely. It has been removed from as a result. This was written on a whim and I would appreciate opinions on how to continue.  
  
**_

_Born In her Burial Gown...  
  
_

The members of the Order sat around the table at Grimmauld place anxiously awaiting Albus and the newest addition to the resistance. There was no movement just a horrible stillness, the calm before the storm that seemed to weigh on everyone's shoulders. The faces around the room were grim, and exhausted from endless nights of stressful surveillance shifts. A single light illuminated the centre of the room, and the large table directly beneath it. You wouldn't even notice him unless you knew he was there leaning against the wall, insides squirming, facial features as blank as ever. He was part of the darkness that occupied the corners of the room, and still as a statue. His eyes were trained on the door of the small room, patiently waiting for the grand entrance of the reason for tonight's gathering...

She walked behind the figure of the wizard before her. Blackness surrounded them but she could still hear the swish of his robes, see the outline of the seemingly humble bow of his head... That could not fool her for she could also clearly feel the thrum of the life that flowed through him, the magic that illuminated his figure, and the blood that flowed in his veins.

They stopped before an ancient looking door, and after a few swishes of his wand the door swung open inwards. Larissa cautiously followed Albus into the dark corridor. She paused just inside, as the door swung shut, and took in the surroundings as the old wizard walked to the end of the hallway. Another door opened and a beam of light illuminated a path to her feet. After a couple of terse words Albus turned and opened the door fully for her to come in first. She walked the distance of the hallway and stepped into the room...

The sound of the door opening alerted everyone. Heads shot up, nerves kicked in and adrenaline started pumping. Bill stood and walked over to the door that held everyone's attention at the moment. He pulled it open a crack, whispered something before stepping away from the door a grim mask dominating his features. On the other side stood Albus, head turned towards the end of the hallway holding he door open for the figure in black. Severus felt his insides clench, as the light illuminated the face of the newcomer. He unfolded his arms and had to consciously keep himself from voicing the unspoken question that was burning on his tongue.

_Where has she been for the past 3 years?  
  
_

Albus pulled the door shut behind him and was rewarded with the attention of the whole room. He scanned the faces before deciding to grace them with an explanation.

"I am sure that you all recognize Larissa from the innumerable photos and stories that roamed the news about 3 years ago. She is here of her own free will and is prepared to help us finish what we started."

_How did she escape the search parties from both sides?  
  
_

"I stumbled upon her accidentally, and requested her assistance. She has agreed to help but insists that she answers to no one. This is negotiable though."

_How did she survive?  
  
_

None of these questions were voiced though, and the only acknowledgment his features offered was a cold hard mask that twisted into a horrible sneer. He watched her, as the members sat around the table once more with Albus now amongst them. She remained on the threshold of darkness, letting the light illuminate her attire, but not herself. Comparing what he remembered, what he knew, to what was displayed before him, he noticed the hardness of her once shy, withdrawn eyes, the straight posture that conveyed a firm confidence.

_She has changed so much... She would've had to. How else does a naïve 17 year old escape the grasp of a powerful dark family, the Dark Lord and the entire wizarding community...?  
  
_

Her hair was longer and looked as black as midnight, but he knew better. She stood absolutely motionless, exuding calm and indifference, but he knew her better.

_She has changed so much...  
  
_

Larissa stood close to the door, automatically scoping out the escape exits.

_The door behind you, a half by a meter window opposite together with a four meter fall, and if all else fails the wand up your sleeve and the bag of tricks...  
  
_

She was buzzing on adrenaline, as Albus dished out the pointless non-information designed for misdirection. It was enough to curb the human curiosity, but hardly enough to endanger her position. The real briefing would be held much later, with precautions worthy of a war council. This waste of time gave her the opportunity to study her future co-mates.

_People that might hold your life in their hands...  
  
_

She hoped it wouldn't come to that. Her trust issues were always a problem when it came to team-building.

She could see that the male to female ratio was greatly unbalanced, and that her contribution did very little to right the matter. For the most part, the members were a grim bunch, but she had expected nothing different. The only real surprise had been Professor Snape really. He had been the last person she expected to see here.

_Jeez I can smell the reek of that Dark Mark from across the room. Looks like Albus held up his reputation for picking up strays, that werewolf over there doesn't look too well either. The full moon is coming so maybe it's not that surprising...  
  
_

She couldn't see her professor, but she remembered him well. For two years he had been her standard, for as long as he was fooled no one else would be the wiser. For two years she had carefully mapped out the hierarchy of the Death Eaters behind her parent's back, watching the comings and goings of her professor. He had been high up back then as he still probably was now. His involvement with the Order explained everything. Why he was the hardest to figure out, why he never paid her much attention at the Ravels, why he watched her so carefully at school...

_That's why he objected to my Head Girl position, even though I had been from his own house. It would've given me the freedom to watch his movements throughout the castle at night. That way I would've seen that he goes to Dumbledore straight after every meeting...  
  
_

She stood until her legs were numb, but refused to sit down. Only once the entire room cleared out and only the select few remain she allowed her fatigued and stressed body the luxury of letting off some of that stress. Folding herself into a chair (opposite the werewolf, Albus on her left and Severus on her right) Larissa mentally prepared for the imminent explosion from her ex-professor.

_If the way he reacted to Lupin's Lycanthropy is any indication of his temper, then I better be well prepared.  
  
_

_Finally that damned waste of time was over. Now we can actually stop beating around the bush and find out what's really going on, and I can get the answers to a couple of things I'd like to know...  
  
_

She sat on his left, elbows leaning on the table, shoulders stiff, the tension making the tendons in her neck stand out.

_Well she's obviously dreading something_ he thought as he folded his arms, next to Remus. Thankfully Albus wasted no time in getting to the point and Severus listened carefully for the things the old man didn't say. Most of the time they told him more than what came out of the old man's mouth.

"I am well aware that you are sick of the delays, but you must be patient as the story must be heard in full before you draw your conclusions," Albus began. He turned to Larissa and inclined his head signaling her cue. She in turn took a deep breath, and keeping her voice carefully neutral began the telling...

"Even before my birth, the path I was meant to follow had been mapped out by those before me. I was the only child of a stereotypical pureblood family, and much rested on my behaviour, conduct, education and beliefs. It was crucial that I maintain a 'proper' state of mind and it is this necessity that usually prompts the brainwashing of young pureblood heirs. I was no exception, however unlike the others I had outside help."

She paused folding her fingers together on the table, and licking her suddenly dry lips. Severus noted every movement, the slide of her fingers, the brief flicker of her tongue, cataloguing the motions and flipping through the implications of these motions.

_She's nervous..._

"Not many are aware of the existence of my aunt," she continued. "My mother's sister, Lady Antonia, has been treated to a fate of a traitor. Erased from the memoirs, erased from the family tree, and wiped out of any other documentation pertaining to my family. Furthermore her very presence was thrown out of the wizarding world, and she was left to fend for herself in a Muggle existence. All these precautions were taken only because my aunt physically displayed the ancestry of my grandma, 5 generations back. No one was certain at the time, but by now we know that my grandma was undoubtedly at least partly a vampire."

She stopped watching the faces around her. Most of the reactions were predictable; shock, outrage, disgust, but her Professor's face was carefully blank. She held his gaze for a moment longer, praying that he wouldn't condemn her for something she had no control over. Slowly turning to stare at an ambiguous point on the wall she forced her voice to function.

"My aunt had the fangs, and she also inherited the thirst, but not the need for a constant supply of blood. She was able to clone her own samples of blood, keeping a steady supply for needy times. Her sense of smell was highly developed, as well her ability to feel magic, aura, and other things. These heightened senses were a blessing and a curse. She could constantly smell the fresh blood around her; feel the helplessness of her victims... Her mind fought not to acknowledge the sheer ease with which she could 'feed'. Instead she focused on genetics, looking for a way to exterminate the intruder gene, or at least mould it to her benefit. All her attempts proved fruitless.

"When I was born she was aware of me almost immediately. Not because she was notified by my family, but because she could feel my aura in the back of her mind. We were two of a kind and that forged a link between us. It was this link that gave her access to my mind, which gifted her with the ability to transfer her experience and her knowledge, gradually into my growing awareness. It wasn't long before I started to notice my nearly schizophrenic tendencies. By my 7th birthday I had begun to block out the foreign presence in my mind by utilizing the Occlumency training I had received. As a result, my aunt panicked and was forced to resort to a very dangerous memory 'dump' during one of my sleepless nights. I awoke from the 'vision' screaming, and was sedated for three days giving me ample time to process the new information.

"Afterwards it wasn't difficult to recognize the signs of my heritage. The pronounced canines, as well as an avid obsession with blood were dead giveaways. Other symptoms surfaced gradually as I entered puberty, but I was by then prepared for them. My aunt remained with me for as long as possible, teaching me to accept the knowledge and training given to me, but to always keep in mind the purpose behind that seemingly selfless offering. By the time I turned 15, I knew that my parents planned to sell me to the Dark Lord, as a sacrificial lamb so to speak. That was the year that I was transferred to Hogwarts. They needed to keep a close eye on me, but were unable to do that at my old school. Seeing as Professor Snape was teaching at Hogwarts, my parents believed that he would keep a close eye on my movements. Which he did, very well in fact."

At this last comment Severus served Larissa with a sharp look. She promptly ignored it and continued.

"I was forced to thread very carefully, as my every movement was recorded and would eventually reach my parents. My heightened senses gave me an advantage, and the means to keep myself inconspicuous. With them I spied on Professor Snape, and simply tried to gather as much knowledge as possible about the Death Eaters and Voldermort. But those same 'powers' however, were becoming harder and harder to hide as I neared the end of my 7th year. So long before Graduation Day I had planned out my escape. My aunt's flat was empty, and provided me with a temporary hideout until I managed to find my feet in the Muggle world. After 3 months I moved out to my own place, bought a wand off the black market, and managed to attach myself to the dark underbelly of Muggle culture."

Here Larissa stopped entirely. There was no need for her to continue. She could feel the stares of all those in the room, smell the maelstrom of emotions rolling off each person. The fear was the most prominent emotion suffocating her senses as she waited for the reaction. Albus said nothing letting the silence settle like an oppressing cloud over the room. Remus was the first to give an outward sign of his thoughts. He sighed heavily. "I can hardly condemn you for what you are considering the fact that I'm not much better either," he said looking at Larissa. She let her eyes lock onto his probing for any insincerity. Finding none she nodded minutely inwardly thanking him for his understanding. Slowly one by one, every person in the room hesitantly agreed with Remus. Every person that is, except for Snape who was currently fuming under his cold exterior. Larissa could feel the rolling anger, in the form of waves of magic, as it struck her right side. Collecting herself she faced him squarely, prepared for whatever he planned to throw at her.

_I want to know where you stand Snape... I don't care if you don't accept me, but I want to know the exact source of your current anger...  
  
_

Albus quickly dismissed the members closing the door behind Alastor, as he stepped out of the room. He turned watching the two before addressing the dark man.

"I know your issue with Larissa doesn't lie in the fact that she is partly a vampire, so why don't you enlighten us both to your disagreement." His voice was as cold as ice as it whipped across the suffocating silence. In response Severus rose and Larissa rose with him recognizing the unspoken challenge in his eyes.

_I'm not backing down you pompous asshole as you don't hold my life in your hands anymore...  
  
_

His features darkened into a scowl, the black abyss of his eyes drawing her further into her own pit of sin.

Suddenly, as fast as the snake that represented his house, he pulled out a long length of ebony from his sleeve, cutting his wrist open in the process. The wound spewed forth the crimson liquid, and the wrist was stuck harshly under her nose. Larissa forced herself consciously to remain still and unflinching.

_I know what you're trying to do...  
  
_

His lips morphed into a horrid sneer as he smeared the blood across her lips and over her cheek. The contact spurred her body into action and she promptly grabbed his wrist in a vice like grip, pulling it away from her face. She hissed baring her, now obvious fangs, leaning her face closer to his. His face closed into a mask of indifference, as her warm breath caressed his cheek.

_I want to memorise the look on your face Snape...  
  
_

Her tongue darted out licking the blood from her lips and in response to the smug smile that blossomed on his features she spat it back in his face. She lingered only long enough to see the realization dawn as his shock wiped of the smug grin, before whirling around and leaving the room. As the door slammed shut Snape folded himself back into a chair, using his wand to clean himself up.

"There was no need for that little display Severus," Albus said seating himself across the angry wizard. "She is in complete control of her form at all times. I made sure of that."

"What happens when she deliberately lets that control slip?" He asked harshly.

"It's in her best interest not to attack the Members of the Order," Albus answered calmly. "She needs us to fulfill her passion. That is the only reason she's even accepted to be here."

Severus snorted. "As she has already demonstrated she needs no one. What could she possibly want that she cannot obtain on her own?"

"She wants Lucius Malfoy alive as the spoils of war. It appears that Mr. Malfoy is rather inaccessible, and relying on the Ministry is out of the question," Albus replied.

Severus didn't know what to think.

_Has the old man gone completely senile?!?!?!  
  
_

"So let me get this straight, you promised her Lucius, just to have her prancing around the Headquarters?"

"No I promised her Lucius in exchange for her tactic to destroy Voldermort."

"I thought Potter was meant to do that."

"And Harry will do it. Just with her help, and no one will ever know. She herself doesn't want the publicity and I doubt Harry will object to her help. Merlin knows we need it," Dumbledore said pinning his Potions master with a heavy gaze. For 2 years they have fought the Dark Lord and were losing ground fast.

"How do you know she's not just rattling your leash? Do you have any proof that she can defeat the Dark Lord?" Severus replied refusing to back down. He knew very little about Larissa and that meant that he didn't trust her. She already proved that her skills of deception were exceptional.

_Exceptional enough to even fool you...  
  
_

Dumbledore simply threw a stack of parchments in front of Severus.

"I suggest you read them. That is her 7th year Muggle Studies Thesis on applications and understanding of Magic in Muggle culture. I trust you are intelligent enough to know what to look for," and with that the aging headmaster left the dark man alone with his thoughts.

A.N.

Reviews are welcomed with open arms. Constructive criticism, likewise. Unreasonable flames are abhorred and witless cowards that don't even put a name to their flame will be ignored.


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